Man, I love Apfelwein

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I use cane sugar to raise the starting gravity then brown sugar to prime.


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flyinpig said:
I'm with him...I have 5 gallons I made from my own pressed apples. Astringent was a good word.:confused:
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I pulled a couple of ounces from my trial batch last night. The flavor was starting to mellow significantly, and the apple was reasserting itself in both the aroma and the flavor. I'm thinking that adding a little bit of dextrose and carbonating it would improve the experience. I like bubbles.

I think the answer is to let it continue to age for a few more weeks, at least. Best of luck!
 
I bottled my first batch at 6 weeks last weekend. It's fantastic. I know some people don't like the dryness but I think it's some of the best stuff I've ever made...perhaps even drank. It reminds me of a dry white wine but with a really nice apple presence. I used Langer's juice, brown sugar, and the recommended Montrachet wine yeast.
 
brick said:
I bottled my first batch at 6 weeks last weekend. It's fantastic. I know some people don't like the dryness but I think it's some of the best stuff I've ever made...perhaps even drank. It reminds me of a dry white wine but with a really nice apple presence. I used Langer's juice, brown sugar, and the recommended Montrachet wine yeast.
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I agree about the dryness and have grown to like it. But it is too tart for my tastes without some backsweetening, I've had food results with honey or even straight apple juice in moderation of course.

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I have mostly lurked and learned but I just had to say "thanks" to everyone that promoted this fine beverage. I started mine on 2/9 and I bottled it last night. I popped a top just now and I am very pleased. It is a little younger than recommended so I plan on starting a second batch this weekend and I hope it will make it for 3-5 months. Good stuff and thanks for all the inputs and information!
 
BurgerBrew said:
Anyone ever age some of this on oak chips?


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I might have to do this soon. Anyone done this before?

yogi223 said:
I have mostly lurked and learned but I just had to say "thanks" to everyone that promoted this fine beverage. I started mine on 2/9 and I bottled it last night. I popped a top just now and I am very pleased. It is a little younger than recommended so I plan on starting a second batch this weekend and I hope it will make it for 3-5 months. Good stuff and thanks for all the inputs and information!
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I think its fantastic young still. I usually ferment for a month and then bottle. I usually have a bottle that night and really enjoy it. Congrats! :rockin:
 
I think its fantastic young still. I usually ferment for a month and then bottle. I usually have a bottle that night and really enjoy it. Congrats! :rockin:[/QUOTE]

Thanks and I have a question for you. I put 6 in the frig last night. When I popped the top I heard a little "pssft". The bulk of what I bottled was left out of the frig. I did not kill the yeast. Should I worry? Or should I just stay up tonight drinking? :cross:
 
yogi223 said:
Thanks and I have a question for you. I put 6 in the frig last night. When I popped the top I heard a little "pssft". The bulk of what I bottled was left out of the frig. I did not kill the yeast. Should I worry? Or should I just stay up tonight drinking? :cross:
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Did you carbonate them? What was your final gravity? I carbed my first batch but prefer them still. I never had an issue with bottle bombs when I carbed though.
 
I didn't carbonate them but I did think about it but since I am very new to this I keep it simple. My final was less than 1.0. My second bottle out of the fridge didn't give any indication of any pressure. I am guessing that I am over thinking this. But to the experts....what say you?
 
yogi223 said:
I didn't carbonate them but I did think about it but since I am very new to this I keep it simple. My final was less than 1.0. My second bottle out of the fridge didn't give any indication of any pressure. I am guessing that I am over thinking this. But to the experts....what say you?
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I wouldnt worry about it at all. Im sure that first one was just because you had been mixing up some of the yeast in suspension. Even when I carbed, I never had an issue. You should be golden!
 
finsfan said:
I wouldnt worry about it at all. Im sure that first one was just because you had been mixing up some of the yeast in suspension. Even when I carbed, I never had an issue. You should be golden!
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I guarantee that I am feeling pretty "golden" right now. Scary good stuff.
 
It's on!
zsk37l.jpg
 
For my most recent batch, I've decided to try EC-1118 instead of Montrachet. Other than that, I've done everything exactly as I always do. But the Lalvin is causing bubbles vigorous enough to come up through my airlock and bubble over a bit, making the vodka in the airlock all cloudy. I'm assuming everything's fine, but is there anything I should do? Apart from draping rags over the top of my carboy to prevent the bubbles fighting their way through the top of the airlock from making a mess?
 
So after all this reading (not all 1200 pages, but a few hundred), I got excited. I ran out and got 6 gallons of walmart apple juice, a pack of Montrachet, and 2 lbs of table sugar. I emptied half of 2 bottles into the carboy, put a pound of sugar in each and shook the bejesus out of them. I added them to the carboy, and dropped the rest of the 6 gallons into the carboy and shook it for awhile. After rehydrating the yeast, I threw it into the carboy, put an airlock on it, and walked away for 3 weeks. And forgot to grab an OG reading lol

But... I put my wine thief to work and tasted this 2 days ago. Let me tell you, given that it's so green, hasn't aged, etc, I am hella impressed! It's not "crystal" clear (a very very slight haze left), but it's DAMN clear compared to golden beers that I've made! It finished at 1.000 and is dry, but surprisingly enjoyable! I could drink it as it is! But I'm going to bottle next weekend and put a few away in the closet somewhere to forget about. And I will promptly be starting another 5-6 gallon batch (or 2) next weekend!

Considering how easy this is to make, and how wonderful it tastes (I can only imagine how great it'll be later), this will be a staple. And I'm already making plans to bottle and gift this stuff for the holidays.

Thanks, Ed!
 
Hey, my apfelwein took 2nd place in the Specialty Cider category of the Ocean State Homebrew Competition! Thanks EdWort! Now I can tell people to try my "award winning" apfelwein.
 
RhodySeth said:
Hey, my apfelwein took 2nd place in the Specialty Cider category of the Ocean State Homebrew Competition! Thanks EdWort! Now I can tell people to try my "award winning" apfelwein.
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Where and when was this? I wish I knew about it.

What temp you guys ferment at?
 
My first batch of this has been in the primary fermenter for a little over a month. Had a sample of it a couple days ago and it was delicious.

I was wondering if I continued to "sample" this from the top using a wine thief, would I expect the product I'm drinking to taste the same as the stuff in the middle and bottom of the carboy? What I'm getting at is does this (or any other fermented liquid) separate at all ever?
 
mgr_stl said:
My first batch of this has been in the primary fermenter for a little over a month. Had a sample of it a couple days ago and it was delicious.

I was wondering if I continued to "sample" this from the top using a wine thief, would I expect the product I'm drinking to taste the same as the stuff in the middle and bottom of the carboy? What I'm getting at is does this (or any other fermented liquid) separate at all ever?
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Not from my experience. It's pretty homogenous, however like beer, once it's done fermenting and producing little or no co2 opening your carbouy will begin the oxidization process. If you've hit you FG, bottle it and age it that way.


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Mmmmm...apfelwein. I'm drinking some right now out of a wine glass (portion control, haha!).

My apfelwein is only a few months old - although my wine palate is not very refined, to me, it tastes like an $8-10 bottle of white wine here in Canuckistan. AND I LOVE IT. I also have some carbed, but I prefer it flat (am I the only one???).

I'm getting ready to start another batch, but I'm worried that I just got lucky my first time around since so many people have discussed long-term aging and carbonation.
 
sparkshooter said:
Mmmmm...apfelwein. I'm drinking some right now out of a wine glass (portion control, haha!).



My apfelwein is only a few months old - although my wine palate is not very refined, to me, it tastes like an $8-10 bottle of white wine here in Canuckistan. AND I LOVE IT. I also have some carbed, but I prefer it flat (am I the only one???).



I'm getting ready to start another batch, but I'm worried that I just got lucky my first time around since so many people have discussed long-term aging and carbonation.
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You didn't get lucky, you just made Apfelwein. Edworts like the modern day Johnny Appleseed. I turn all my newby friends into making it. Easiest thing ever, very simple and consistent. Almost everyone loves it.


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sparkshooter said:
Mmmmm...apfelwein. I'm drinking some right now out of a wine glass (portion control, haha!).



My apfelwein is only a few months old - although my wine palate is not very refined, to me, it tastes like an $8-10 bottle of white wine here in Canuckistan. AND I LOVE IT. I also have some carbed, but I prefer it flat (am I the only one???).



I'm getting ready to start another batch, but I'm worried that I just got lucky my first time around since so many people have discussed long-term aging and carbonation.
Click to expand...


You didn't get lucky, you just made Apfelwein. Edworts like the modern day Johnny Appleseed. I turn all my newby friends into making it. Easiest thing ever, very simple and consistent. Almost everyone loves it.


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Just some observations from making 4 batches of this stuff. My first batch made with Costco fresh pressed apple juice was just ok. Had a real pungent sour aftertaste and only became drinkable after 6 months.
My next two batches were god awful using walmart el cheapo juice. Incredibly sour tasting. Let them age but every time I tasted a bottle I wound up pouring it out. Dumped all the rest of these, just too sour and awful.
My latest batch I decided to spend a little more and bought 4 gallons of musslemans apple cider and 2 gallons of tree top apple cider. Added pectic enzyme at the beginning. At 5 weeks it was done and clear and let me tell you it is wonderful. Nice clean crisp flavor with no sourness. After this latest result, I am convinced the quality of the juice you use is extremely important.
 
JoshWithrow said:
So after all this reading (not all 1200 pages, but a few hundred), I got excited. I ran out and got 6 gallons of walmart apple juice, a pack of Montrachet, and 2 lbs of table sugar. I emptied half of 2 bottles into the carboy, put a pound of sugar in each and shook the bejesus out of them. I added them to the carboy, and dropped the rest of the 6 gallons into the carboy and shook it for awhile. After rehydrating the yeast, I threw it into the carboy, put an airlock on it, and walked away for 3 weeks. And forgot to grab an OG reading lol

But... I put my wine thief to work and tasted this 2 days ago. Let me tell you, given that it's so green, hasn't aged, etc, I am hella impressed! It's not "crystal" clear (a very very slight haze left), but it's DAMN clear compared to golden beers that I've made! It finished at 1.000 and is dry, but surprisingly enjoyable! I could drink it as it is! But I'm going to bottle next weekend and put a few away in the closet somewhere to forget about. And I will promptly be starting another 5-6 gallon batch (or 2) next weekend!

Considering how easy this is to make, and how wonderful it tastes (I can only imagine how great it'll be later), this will be a staple. And I'm already making plans to bottle and gift this stuff for the holidays.

Thanks, Ed!
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Mine got crystal clear after only 6 weeks, and tasted awesome. I bottled half still and half carbed, will be making this again... and again ....
 
Pitman said:
Just some observations from making 4 batches of this stuff. My first batch made with Costco fresh pressed apple juice was just ok. Had a real pungent sour aftertaste and only became drinkable after 6 months.
My next two batches were god awful using walmart el cheapo juice. Incredibly sour tasting. Let them age but every time I tasted a bottle I wound up pouring it out. Dumped all the rest of these, just too sour and awful.
My latest batch I decided to spend a little more and bought 4 gallons of musslemans apple cider and 2 gallons of tree top apple cider. Added pectic enzyme at the beginning. At 5 weeks it was done and clear and let me tell you it is wonderful. Nice clean crisp flavor with no sourness. After this latest result, I am convinced the quality of the juice you use is extremely important.
Click to expand...

I've only made 2 5-gallon batches of this stuff, once with table sugar and the 2nd time using the correct sugar, both times with "Tree Top" brand juice.

Both batches had no trouble clearing. I've tried it both sparkling and still, like both. The finish is totally clean and crisp with a high amount of dryness, which I do not like in wine but can enjoy anyway. My only complaint is the sourness. Note, it is not that bad, I've never poured out any apfelwein and do not intend to start.

I just figured the heavy tart aftertaste is just part of the recipe, does the pectic enzyme help sweeten it? I backsweetened a gallon with some Orange Blossom honey but I think the yeasties ate it since it was not sweet after 2 weeks.

I'd like to hear what if anything can be done to reduce the sour and tart flavors and bring back more apple.
 
Edbert said:
I've only made 2 5-gallon batches of this stuff, once with table sugar and the 2nd time using the correct sugar, both times with "Tree Top" brand juice.

Both batches had no trouble clearing. I've tried it both sparkling and still, like both. The finish is totally clean and crisp with a high amount of dryness, which I do not like in wine but can enjoy anyway. My only complaint is the sourness. Note, it is not that bad, I've never poured out any apfelwein and do not intend to start.

I just figured the heavy tart aftertaste is just part of the recipe, does the pectic enzyme help sweeten it? I backsweetened a gallon with some Orange Blossom honey but I think the yeasties ate it since it was not sweet after 2 weeks.

I'd like to hear what if anything can be done to reduce the sour and tart flavors and bring back more apple.
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I'd try a different juice, I've done 3 batches and never got any sourness. My favorite was actually with concentrated apple juice
 
bleme said:
Back-sweetening does that. You can either sweeten and pasteurize or sweeten in your glass.
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I've done some mixing of meads with other beverages upon serving, depending on desired result. You could add a lil apple juice to each glass upon serving....that way you'll get a bit more apple flavor as well as a lil more sweetness....and stretch the bottle(s)...maybe mix with Sprite or 7-Up, have an apfelwein spritzer, or something...
 
JoshWithrow said:
But I'm going to bottle next weekend and put a few away in the closet somewhere to forget about.

Thanks, Ed!
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Try back sweetening it, and carbonating it, what I do is just shoot for a high OG (1.100+) and then bottle a few flip tops when it hits 1.045ish, then throw those flip tops in the cabinet for a few days, releasing the pressure every 2 days, then I throw those in the fridge and they're DELICIOUS. Around here this stuff never has a chance to age.

Yes, thanks to Ed for this, I've made many gallons.
 
Edbert said:
I'd like to hear what if anything can be done to reduce the sour and tart flavors and bring back more apple.
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Just a touch of sweet will bring the apple back out hardcore. A splash of Sprite or 7UP will do wonders. Up the gravity and then just mix with Sprite is how I roll. I ferment in bottle buckets so when I hit about 1.050 gravity (from 1.100+) I just bottle up some flip tops and set them in a cabinet and burp them about every 2 days. After about a week, I put them in the fridge and they're often gone before they get good and cold.
 
So i had plenty of AJ and yeast lying around because i was planning on making a graff..then sometime after midnight last night i decided that i would just make an apfelwein. i hadn't made one in a long time and being a typical male, decided that i didn't need to check the directions.

..and i totally forgot the corn sugar. i did follow edwort's recipe for the rest (i used montrachet, etc). to further complicate things, my car is in the shop, so i don't think that i can make it to a home brew store for corn sugar. should i walk to the supermarket for some brown sugar or frozen juice concentrate? does it matter that i'm adding this after the yeast?


thanks!
 
dirtyfrank557 said:
So i had plenty of AJ and yeast lying around because i was planning on making a graff..then sometime after midnight last night i decided that i would just make an apfelwein. i hadn't made one in a long time and being a typical male, decided that i didn't need to check the directions.

..and i totally forgot the corn sugar. i did follow edwort's recipe for the rest (i used montrachet, etc). to further complicate things, my car is in the shop, so i don't think that i can make it to a home brew store for corn sugar. should i walk to the supermarket for some brown sugar or frozen juice concentrate? does it matter that i'm adding this after the yeast?


thanks!
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I'd say that you can add the sugar when pitching or up to 3 days later. Should be fine.
 
dirtyfrank557 said:
So i had plenty of AJ and yeast lying around because i was planning on making a graff..then sometime after midnight last night i decided that i would just make an apfelwein. i hadn't made one in a long time and being a typical male, decided that i didn't need to check the directions.

..and i totally forgot the corn sugar. i did follow edwort's recipe for the rest (i used montrachet, etc). to further complicate things, my car is in the shop, so i don't think that i can make it to a home brew store for corn sugar. should i walk to the supermarket for some brown sugar or frozen juice concentrate? does it matter that i'm adding this after the yeast?


thanks!
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Be very careful adding it though. If your fermentation has started producing gas, it could go off like a volcano when you add the sugar. Think Mentos in a 2 liter of Coke trick. Something with the granulation makes the gas release rapidly. A friend of mine had it happen a day into a fresh batch when he added a few extra ounces of dextrose.
 
sportpak said:
Be very careful adding it though. If your fermentation has started producing gas, it could go off like a volcano when you add the sugar. Think Mentos in a 2 liter of Coke trick. Something with the granulation makes the gas release rapidly. A friend of mine had it happen a day into a fresh batch when he added a few extra ounces of dextrose.
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Very good point! I should have said that in my response as well.
 
This stuff is awesome! My first batch did 5 weeks fermentation, my wife loves it. I'm doing another batch now and plan on doing a third batch and letting one set for a few months. It's great on tap.
 
I just made a batch of this, but I messed up. I was only going to do 4 gallons, so I went and bought my apple juice. I meant to buy 4 gallons but I bought 4 half gallons, and I had a lot going on today so I just started pouring without realizing. So I used 2 gallons of apple juice, wine yeast and 1 lb of brown sugar but I have it all in a 5 gallon bucket. Will I have any issues leaving just 2 gallons sit in a 5 gallon bucket for that long?
 
bleme said:
Sort of, because when you start drinking it, you are going to kick yourself for not filling it on up. It's not too late to add 3 more gallons in there...
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Haha yeah I guess you're right, thanks. I brewed today too and I was just kinda doing this on the side and I can't believe I grabbed the wrong juice.
 

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